Gate-hinge.



No. 861,898. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. 0. RBPPERT, J.-F.APRUGHTE.& F. L. LITTERBB..

.GATE HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 2e. 19o7.

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UNITED STATES PATEN FFTC.

OTTO REPPERT, JOHN FRED FRUOHTE, AND FERD LYNN LITTERER, OF DEGATUR, INDIANA- GATE -HINGE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed April Z6, 1907. Serial N0. 370,450.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, Or'ro REPPERT, JOHN FRED FRUCHTE, and FERD LYNN Lrr'rERnR, all citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Decatur, in the county of Adams and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gate-Hinges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to provide novel details of construction for a gate hinge, especially well adapted as an adjunct for a farm gate, and that will release and permit the lateral opening movement of such a gate when the hinge is rocked on its support in either direction.

The invention consists in the peculiar novel construction of the hinge and its fixed support, as is hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a gate to which my invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a side view of a gate similar to that shown in Fig. l and having the improved hinge thereon, and Fig. 3 is a partly sectional plan view of the improved hinge, and adjacent portions ol the gate and hinge-carrying post whereon the hinge is mounted.

The gate 5 may be of any preferred construction. As shown, it comprises a border frame having parallel top and bottom rails a, a/ spaced apart by upright end bars b, b and also by upright pales b2.

Posts 6, 7, that define the opening in a fence guarded by the gate, are positioned respectively near the end bars b and b of the gate. The post 7 whereon the gate 5 is hinged, is spaced from the end bar b a proper distance, for the introduction and free working of a lower hinge and the improved upper hinge. As shown, the lower hinge is of common construction, consisting of a lug c that projects from the post 7 and has a pintle c/ on its upper side, said pintle having a loose engagement with the perforated Iend of an arm c2 that is projected laterally from the end bar b near the bottom rail a/ of the gate.

The improved upper hinge comprises a bracket frame d, formed of a flat plate of metal secured upon the face of the post 7 opposite from the end bar b of the gate, said frame having two flanges d and d2, that project at right angles from the plate d respectively at its upper and lower ends.

The flanges d/ and dz are oppositely perforated near their outer ends and receive a vertical shaft e, which projects above the upper flange d suflcientlyfor reception of an arm e/ which is adjustably secured thereon by a set screw e2. The hub of the arm e/ seats upon the flange d and thus supports the shaft e free to roel-. Upon the lower end of the shaft e, below the flange d2, a short arm e3 is formed, that projects at a right angle to the shaft and toward the gate when thcI upper arm projects away therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2.

A hinge leaf g is preferably formed of plate metal bent into substantially U-shape, thus producing two spaced members which are oppositely perforated and receive in their perforations the end bar'b, whereon these spaced members are secured, the longest member of the hinge leaf projecting toward the post 7 when the gate 5 is closed, said leaf having a vertical perforation near its free end.

Upon the outer end of the arm e3, an upright pintle e4 is formed or secured, which is inserted in the perforation of the hinge leaf that is extended from the gate bar. Upon the opposite upright gate bar b, a spring latch bar h is secured which extends above the gate to permit free manipulation when this is desiredr An L-shaped catch h@ is secured on the face of the post 6 opposite from the latch bar h, and the latter interlocks with said catch when the gate is closed, thus securing the gate from swinging freely on its hinges.

It will be seen that when the arm e is in alinement with Athe vertical plane of the gate 5, as represented in Figs. l and 2, the gate will be closed and latched. The gate can readily be opened by turning the arm e at right angles to the plane of the closed gate, as this will rock the shaft c correspondingly, and cause the short arm e3 to pull upon the hinge leaf g. This action will rock the front end of the gate upward, having the lower hinge of the gate as a fulcrum whereupon the latch bar h will be detached from the catch h and the gate be swung open.

To facilitate the opening and closing of the gate 5 from a vehicle on the roadway guarded by the gate, two flexible connections 8, 8*L are attached by one end of each upon the outer end of the arm e and thence arerextended in opposite directions, to a distance that exceeds the length of the gate 5 when it is fully opened', the extended ends of said flexible connections being supported upon posts or other vstable objects and disposed at right angles to the plane of the closed gate. It will be obvious that if the gate 5 has been swung into closed condition and secured by the latching means hereinbefore described, an occupant of a vehicle approaching the gate from either side, can readily open it by pulling upon the flexible connection 8 or 8nb that is nearest at hand. After passing through the gateway, that has been opened by swinging the gate on its hinges, the party in the vehicle can without leaving it,

close the gate by pulling the flexible connection at service, as it is not liable to be clogged by snow or sleet i but is always in condition for service'.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as l0 new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The combination with a gate, a latching post at one end of the gate, a hinge-carrying post at the other end of the gate. and a spring-latch device arranged for detachably securing an end of the gate upon the latehing post, of a hinge, comprising a bracket frame secured upon the upper on a like portion of the hinge-carrying post. an upper Ahinge, comprising a bracekt frame secured upon the upper' portion of the hinge-carrying post. and having two outwardly projected and oppositely perforated anges on the ends thereof, an upright shaft loosely engaging within the perforations in said flanges, a short arm laterally extended from the lower end of the shaft, an upright pintle on the outer end of said arm, a perforated hinge leaf secured on the adjacent end bar of the gate above the other hinge thereon and engaging the pintle, a longer arm adjustably secured on the upper end of the shaft, and means for rocking said arm in either direction.

In testimony whereof we have signed our naines to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

'OTTO REPPERT. .TOHN FRED FRUCHTE. FERD LYNN LITTERER. Witnesses JOHN SrUHLnR, FRANK C. BURNS. 

